Purdue University has once again been recognized as Indiana’s leading public university, maintaining its position as the state’s only public institution ranked among the nation’s top 50 in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges list. The university tied at No. 46 among more than 400 institutions nationwide, marking its third consecutive year in this position.
Purdue also achieved its highest-ever placement in the co-op and internship opportunities category, ranking sixth overall and continuing a seven-year streak among the top three public universities in the U.S. for experiential learning. The institution climbed to No. 17 for learning communities, tied for No. 19 in service-learning, ranked No. 26 as a best college for veterans, and secured the No. 23 spot for the percentage of full-time faculty. It also placed No. 29 nationally for graduates’ earnings potential, reinforcing the strong return on investment of a Purdue degree.
Provost Patrick Wolfe credited the results to the university’s focus on academic strength across STEM and business fields, which together represent nearly three-quarters of Purdue’s undergraduate population. “Purdue’s strongest programs of research, scholarship, and teaching continue to grow even stronger,” Wolfe said.
In subject-specific rankings, Purdue earned top national recognition in 20 undergraduate programs, led by the College of Engineering, which held its No. 8 nationwide ranking. Nine engineering programs placed in the top 10, including industrial engineering at No. 2, aeronautics and astronautics at No. 3, civil engineering at No. 3, and agricultural and biological engineering at No. 4. The university’s computer engineering, electrical engineering, and environmental engineering programs also climbed in rank, reflecting steady growth across the discipline.
Purdue’s Department of Computer Science, shared between the colleges of Science and Engineering, ranked No. 16 nationally. Its specialty programs also performed strongly, with cybersecurity rising to No. 4, software engineering at No. 8, and artificial intelligence at No. 18. The Mitch Daniels School of Business continued its upward trajectory, ranking No. 24 for undergraduate business programs. Within the school, operations management ranked No. 4, supply chain management at No. 9, quantitative analysis at No. 11, analytics at No. 12, and management information systems at No. 20.
The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings are based on 17 indicators measuring academic quality, student outcomes, and graduate success, including factors such as graduation rates, graduate indebtedness, and post-graduate earnings. Purdue’s continued presence among the nation’s top public institutions underscores its commitment to excellence in education, workforce readiness, and the long-term success of its students.
